


The Sun Came Crashing In

by Hllangel



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: First Kiss, Future Fic, M/M, Mistletoe, holiday fluff, this is secretly an ot5 fic but shhhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2018-03-05 14:12:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3123122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hllangel/pseuds/Hllangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"I didn't agree to this," Harry says, holding up the hat he's supposed to wear for the quiz they've agreed to do alongside a performance. </i>
</p><p>Or, it's a 1D reunion for Children in Need, featuring Christmas sweaters, costumes, mistletoe, and Niall with a crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sun Came Crashing In

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tanni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanni/gifts).



> For Tanni -- This isn't quite the Elf au you wanted, but it does have Harry being very fail in an elf costume. Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Year! 
> 
> Thank you to Fiarra, I can't write anything without you creeping on me anymore. Thank you Sharpiesaid for the beta. Any mistakes remaining are purely my own. Thanks to Nan for setting up this entire exchange. 
> 
> Title from American Author's "Best Day of my Life" 
> 
> This is a work of fiction based on the lives and likenesses of real people. If you are one of them and you're reading this, I'm so sorry, please turn around.

"So do you think you could?" Nick asks, voice loud and warm even over an international connection. 

Harry is just back from his morning run, the late summer sun already verging on too-warm as he strips off his shirt and lies down in the grass by his pool and closes his eyes. He's been playing phone tag with Nick for about a week, pretty much since they got back from Ibiza, but Harry has been sequestered in meetings and planned writing sessions during all of their overlapping hours. The problem with London, Harry thinks, is that it's too far away from Los Angeles. 

"Don't need to, they'll do it," Harry says. 

"Ask first, Haz. It's my first year producing and I can't go to a meeting saying I've secured a One Direction reunion without it being concrete. I'd be sacked from everything and run out of the country. The earth, probably. I'd have to find a way to move to mars. It'd be awful there, with everyone I know back in London." 

Harry laughs, he can't help it. "They'll say yes," he assures Nick. "But I'll make them sign in blood if that will keep you on the planet. Would you even be able to present the Breakfast show from Mars? People tweet from space." 

"The point is that I'd be sacked, and they'd give Scott and Chris my show, probably. Or Greg." 

"They'd be rubbish at your show." 

"Better not risk it then," Nick says. Off the line, Pig barks, and Nick sighs. "Fuck, that'll be Collette or someone, I've got to go. Make them send me selfies or something saying they agree, yeah?" 

"Sure, whatever. Go play at being a good host." 

"Talk to you soon," Nick says. He ends the call before Harry can say anything else. 

Harry really should go inside, or at least put on some sunblock before coming back out to lay in the grass some more, but he's comfortable and warm and the sun's not directly in his eyes just yet. He calls Liam first. 

"Is this important?" Liam asks, instead of saying _hello_ like a normal person. Though, given the things they've done together, _normal_ isn't exactly a word that applies to any of them anymore. 

"Sort of?" It is to Nick, anyway, and Harry doesn't want to let him down or get him sacked. "Yes?" Thinking about it some more, he's not been given a deadline, really. And it could probably wait another day. "No?" 

"One of those, I reckon," Liam says with a laugh. "What is it?" 

"Are you busy?" Harry hates to interrupt anyone if they're doing something. 

"Going out with Sophia in a bit, promised her some time to ourselves after the week I've had. Been locked in a room with Louis and producers and executives for weeks, I think. I've barely seen daylight and it's summer." 

"I can call back tomorrow," Harry offers. 

"I'm here now, if you can tell me quickly. Our car's coming in half an hour and I'm not dressed yet." 

"I just spoke to Grimmy. I've been trying to call him all week but I've been in the studio and in meetings, too. It's terrible trying to do everything on your own. Never realized how much work was in the production. It's so easy to write songs and show up to sing them." 

"Tell me about it," Liam says. "We've got this new band, sound pretty good on their own, but have no idea how to do it for a recording. We've hours of wasted tapes and they're fighting their vocal trainer." 

It sounds like a right nightmare to Harry, who's had a few of his own like that. He's been writing and selling songs steadily since they went on hiatus, but he's stepped into producing lately and it's a lot more work than he remembers. Not that he doesn't love it, of course, but it's frustrating. 

"Yeah, I had one a few months ago, sweet girl, amazing voice, but no training and a complete perfectionist. Didn't realize how different a good studio setup would be to her home recordings, kept saying everything sounded wrong." 

"I used to think that too," Liam says. He pauses, "Look, I know you didn't call to compare work stories. What's going on?" 

"I just spoke to Grimmy," Harry says, again. "I just saw him last week and he didn't say anything and it took ages to get him on the phone again." 

Liam huffs out a sigh. "Harry, come on." 

"Right. He's producing Children in Need this year and it's his first year and he wants to do a good job so he asked me if we'd be up for doing it. All of us." 

Liam answers almost before Harry finishes the sentence. "Yeah, of course I'm in. Felt right weird not doing the last two, to be honest."

"Send me a selfie or something with a thumbs up? I told him we'd do it but he doesn't believe me. Thinks he's going to get sacked from the BBC if he goes into his meeting and pitches it without us agreeing first." 

"Yeah, sure. That all?" 

"Yeah. Have fun on your date," Harry says, putting as much of a leer into his tone as possible. "Tell me all the details later." 

"You wish," Liam says. "Bye, mate." 

Harry grins as the call ends. One down, three to go. 

Zayn doesn't answer his phone, but Perrie answers hers, and passes the phone over immediately. He immediately agrees and promises to send proof and then hangs up, sounding frazzled. He's always like that without enough sleep, and it's to be expected with the new baby. 

Louis has apparently spoken to Liam in the last ten minutes because he says "Yes," when Harry calls, and then hangs up on him. Harry gets a text a minute later with a picture of a "yes" scrawled on a crumpled scrap of paper.

Harry frowns, and then calls Niall. It rings and rings and Harry's switching gears in his head to leave a voicemail when Niall finally answers. "This about the Children in Need thing?" 

"Did Liam tell you already? He said he was getting ready to go out and didn't have time to talk." 

"He is, he just sent us all a text after you talked to him. Said it was so we didn't have to sit through your story." 

"Spoils all my fun," Harry says, not really meaning it. 

"Tell me anyway," Niall says. "I've just finished the rub on my steaks for later. Bressie's due over soon, but I've probably got a few minutes." 

So, Harry tells him. It's nice to get out the full story, what there is of it anyway, without any interruptions and just an occasional encouraging hum. 

"And like, I'd hate for him to have to go live on mars because walking Pig would be terrible, but he probably wouldn't be able to take her anyway, and then he'd be miserable. But everyone's agreed so he doesn't have to now." 

Niall laughs, not the loud cackle he'd always let out on stage and in interviews, but a slow chuckle that builds over the line until Harry can't help but join in too. As far away as London is, hearing Niall laugh makes him feel like home is that much closer. 

They've moved on to talking about their latest rounds of golf when Niall's doorbell goes.

"Send me a selfie or a picture of a scrap of paper or whatever. Something I can pass on to Grim to say you've all said yes." 

"Will do," Niall promises. 

"Cheers," Harry says. 

A few minutes later, he's got proof of everyone agreeing that he can pass to Nick, along with their phone numbers and email addresses so they can all be looped into the planning. 

_You'd better not be joking, Styles,_ Nick sends. _I'm not moving to mars._

_It's the real deal. But too bad, I was going to claim your house. Move in._

_And never live in it._ Nick sends back. It's a bit unfair, really. Harry lives in his own house in Los Angeles now. Mostly. 

Harry doesn't reply, just strips off the rest of his clothes and slides into the pool.

~*~

The thing is, Harry doesn't remember agreeing to this part.

"I didn't agree to this," Harry says, holding up the hat he's supposed to wear for the quiz they've agreed to do alongside a performance. 

"You did," Nick says. 

"Yep," Niall agrees. He's thumbing through his phone, probably looking for the email where Harry said okay. 

It's not that he's morally opposed to dressing as an elf on telly, especially when it's for charity, it's that he doesn't remember saying yes. 

"You're going to look like a tit," Louis says, eyes sparkling. "It'll be just like it used to be." 

Harry hasn't had enough sleep for this, he'd just arrived yesterday, and they've only got a week until the show. They'd spent months fighting over song choices, and had easily agreed to wear Christmas sweaters for that, but Harry doesn't remember separate costumes being discussed for the quiz portion.

"Where's the changing room?" Harry asks, looking down at the bright green fabric in his hands. If he'd agreed he has to at least make sure it fits. When no one answers, he looks up to find everyone staring at him. "Have I got something on my face?" 

"Like there's a person in this room who hasn't seen your knob," Nick says, pulling a face. Harry sticks his tongue out at him, but can't keep it there for long because he breaks into giggles too fast. It's definitely true, so Harry tosses the tights at Liam, watching as he bats them away from his face, and reaches for the hem of his jumper. 

It takes a few minutes to get his jeans off, but when he stands up in triumph no one is watching. Well, that's a bit of a lie, because Harry catches Niall looking away quickly. But Louis is in one of the chairs and has just started a story about the littlest twins getting into trouble at school, so Niall's probably just listening to the story. 

"You teach my kid to do that and I'll never speak to you again," Zayn says. 

Everyone laughs, and Harry starts putting on the tights. Or at least he tries, but he's got no experience with it. Apparently trying to put them on like jeans is the wrong way to go about it, because it takes about two seconds for his foot to stick and for him to fall over. At least there's carpet on the floor so his back isn't cold. 

Everyone turns to laugh at him, and Harry can see Nick with his phone out, taking pictures, but Niall comes over and offers him a hand up. Harry sits down in a chair and pulls the tights off his foot, looking at them skeptically. 

"How am I meant to put these on?" 

"I think you've got to sort of scrunch up the legs to get your foot to the bottom," Liam says. "That's what I see Sophia do." 

Harry manages to get them on after a few tries, and then puts on the rest of the costume, which in the end looks nice and festive and not completely ridiculous, even if the shoes have bells on them. Liam gets the Santa outfit, complete with a fake beard so fluffy that only his eyebrows are really visible in the end, Louis and Zayn are reindeer, and Niall gets a fluffy brown sweater with giant gumdrop buttons. 

"Don't eat me, Haz," Niall warns, poking at the button. 

"Heyyyyy," Harry protests, crossing his arms. Nick takes another picture. 

"Right, I need one of all of you to take to the meeting tomorrow before you get here. They'll want to see that the budget was well spent." 

They line up nicely, but as Nick's counting down, Harry can see to one side that Louis has lowered his head to ram Liam with his felt antlers, so Harry turns and bends down so he can take a bite out of Niall's shoulder. Gently, though. He's aiming to get the jumper and not Niall's actual skin. He's not a cannibal; they're not very nice.

"Never work with children or animals," Nick says under his breath, but he doesn't ask them to pose for another one, so Harry assumes he's got what he needs. He starts unbuttoning the jacket. 

"Dinner at mine," Niall says. It's not even a question, just a statement. Niall always hosts when they have time to see each other these days, on a constant quest to perfect his grilling skills, even in the middle of winter. "You too, Grimmy." 

"Got plans," Nick says, waving his phone around. 

"Next time," Niall says with a laugh. It's still not a question.

"I'll be there," Harry promises, shrugging off the bright green jacket and plastering himself to Niall's back. “You were always my favorite." 

The others had left, probably to pick up Perrie and Eleanor and Sophia, whilst Harry was wrangling his jacket, so now it's just him and Niall and Grimmy, who is buttoning up his coat. Harry doesn't let go of Niall, even as Nick waves goodbye on his way out the door. 

"Get off me, you knob," Niall says, elbowing Harry in the stomach. It doesn't hurt much, so Harry doesn't really let go, just loosens his arm a bit and plants a sloppy kiss to Niall's cheek. Niall's reaction is everything Harry could have wanted: he makes a disgusted sounding noise and wipes at his cheek, and Harry waits for him to be done before doing it again and letting him go, so he can get dressed. 

"Want to give me a lift to yours? I took a car here." He asks. 

"No," Niall says, voice flat. He's smiling, though, so Harry knows he's won.

~*~

Dinner is loud and chaotic, the way it always is when they get together. It's raining, which means Niall has to go out with an umbrella to check on the steaks. Harry makes a salad out of the veggies he'd made Niall stop to get, knowing that he'd not have thought to buy any before, even though they do this every time.

With Niall running in and out of the kitchen as Harry works, rescuing his steaks and ribs from the rain, it's easy to bump into each other a lot. Well, Harry does have to work at it a bit, because it's a big kitchen, but it's no less satisfactory for that. He hip-checks Niall for about the tenth time, making the rookie mistake of forgetting to check Niall's hands, and earns himself a pinch in the side. 

When Harry looks up, he finds Liam and Louis watching them. Louis pretends to wipe a tear from his eyes. "I taught him so well," he says to Liam. 

"Fuck off," Harry says. "My charm comes naturally." 

"I'll show you charm," Niall says from where he's busy slicing the ribs into individual pieces. 

Harry just gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze on his next route to the other side of the kitchen. 

After they eat, Zayn and Perrie leave first, which starts the flood until it's just Harry and Niall standing in the doorway. 

"Er, you drove me here?" Harry says, answering a question that Niall hasn't asked. "Could you give me a lift home?" 

"Call a car," Niall says with a loud yawn. 

"I'll just stay here, then," Harry says. Niall shrugs, and that's that. Harry knows where the guest bedroom is, so once they've finished putting the house to rights, Harry heads in with a little wave at Niall. 

He blows a kiss too, just for fun. Niall pretends to knock it out of the way before it lands, an old joke from so many tours ago that Harry can't even remember, but he also blushes a bit, the red tint of his cheeks just barely visible in the dim hallway light. Probably just the beer, Harry decides, shutting the door behind him.

~*~ 

It's been ages since they've performed all together, so it takes a while to fall back into their old patterns. It's not the songs themselves that Harry's having trouble with, it's sharing the stage. Not that he performs on his own at all, even now, but they're not the same as they were when they agreed to take a break before they fell apart.

"Again," Liam says, fiddling with the sound equipment. They've got a live band coming in sometime tomorrow, a band they haven't worked with before, and they'd all agreed that they need to be good enough together before they bring in new people. 

Louis hits the button for the backing music, and Harry slings an arm around Niall as he starts in on _Where do broken hearts go_ passing the melody easily between them as the beat picks up, like it's only been a few weeks since they last did this and not years. 

Somewhere in the middle of the bridge everything snaps back together, and the singing isn't work anymore. Harry can see from the way everyone's letting the lyric sheets sag in their hands that they feel it too. It's _fun_ again; five lads having a laugh in front of millions of people, singing and playing off each other. The room melts away and there could be a stadium around them for all Harry notices. All he knows is that he's got Niall tucked into his side, and the five of them are singing like they never stopped. 

They transition seamlessly into _Fell in Love_ , their last official single, and then all the way back to _What Makes you Beautiful_ before the music dies down, their mini-set at an end. It's jarring to come back to a silent practice room, so Harry covers it by reaching further around Niall's hips to grab at his dick. 

The moment may have broken, but they're together again, and Harry's smiling harder than he has for ages.

~*~ 

Backstage at the performance is every bit as mad as Harry remembers it being. They're performing for the live audience at the theatre tonight, so there's lots of people rushing around getting ready for the hours long appeal.

As a band, they've been given one dressing room, making space tight. There's a rack in one corner with their sweaters and their outfits for the quiz later, but since they're not going on for a few hours yet, Harry's sitting on the sofa in just his pants, flipping through his phone. There are some emails he has to answer about work back in Los Angeles next week, but nothing too important, and he tosses it onto the coffee table when Niall sits down next to him. 

"Are you ever going to get dressed?" Niall asks. 

"You have met him, right?" Louis says, leaning away from where he's talking to Eleanor just to jump into the conversation. "Remember that time Liam found him in his room?" 

"Heyyyyy," Harry says. It had only been the once that he'd passed out naked. He doesn't drink that much anymore. Usually. 

"We had to make a rule for you on the bus," Niall says. "No one wants to see that." 

"Because I make you all feel inadequate. Also, that's why I have my pants on," Harry says. "I follow the rules." 

"I'm a grower," Niall says. "Wanna see?" 

He's got a wicked smirk on his face, one that Harry's well familiar with, grin easy and open like it always is. But Niall is fiddling with his phone, turning it in circles between his hands like he's nervous. 

"You alright?" Harry asks, not answering the question. He puts one of his hands over Niall's, and smooths a thumb over his palm. "You're not usually this nervous before a performance." 

Niall shrugs, the smile gone, though he doesn't look unhappy without it. Niall never looks unhappy, and Harry's not sure his face can ever look that way in the first place. 

"Just been a while, yeah? And I haven't brushed my teeth yet." 

"We've got plenty of time," Harry says. He tips over and pulls Niall's arm around his shoulder, swinging his legs up over the armrest of the sofa, half lying in Niall's lap. Niall's hand automatically goes to Harry's hair, combing through it in long strokes, just like he always used to do. It feels good, and Harry's eyes start to close. He's going to have to get ready for the show eventually, but Niall can tell him when, for now he doesn't want to move.

~*~ 

The first thing Harry does when they walk out on stage is fall down. He knows that tiny step is there, he'd made a special note of it during their first rehearsal on the stage, and during the dress rehearsal earlier today. But with the lights and the audience, he completely forgets and puts his foot down on empty air.

Luckily, it's still just the intro music playing, but the first solo is his, and he really doesn't want to miss his cue. He's going to, though, because he's still sitting on the ground and his mic is a good five feet away. The music's been modified so that they have extra time to walk out while it's playing, before the singing starts, but he's still going to miss it. 

Zayn gives him a hand up and out of the corner of his eye he can see Niall signaling to the band to keep the intro going for a few extra beats. Harry breathes easier when his actual cue doesn't come when it should have, and he makes it to his mic with only a little bit of damage to his dignity, knowing that nine million people saw him fall down. 

When the song's over, the program cuts to a VT and Harry slumps a bit, running his hand through his hair. 

"You alright?" Niall asks, coming over and setting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Looked like you took a hard one." 

Harry wiggles his butt a bit, and feels a twinge, but it's not as bad as it could have been. "I'm alright. Been hurt worse on stage before." 

"Too right, you have," Niall says. He squeezes Harry's shoulder. "Don't like anyone getting hurt." 

"Mostly my dignity, to be honest. Got a cure for that?" Harry gives Niall his best dimpled smile in the dimmed stage lights. Niall's hand falls away, and Niall looks away for a minute before returning Harry's smile. Niall wanders off to go talk to Louis, so Harry finds Nick where he's lurking just off the stage. 

He's not presenting this bit, but they've got another minute or two before the VT finishes, and then it's time for a total on donations so it's a bit of time to talk. Harry's spent most of the week going back and forth between Niall's and Nick's houses between rehearsals, stopping by his own every other day to get a new pair of jeans, but only because theirs don't fit him. 

"Are you sticking around after this?" Nick asks. "Do we get more than a week of you this time?" 

"Got some meetings next week, so I'm off tomorrow," Harry says. He's watching the other lads laugh together and it's not that he feels left out, exactly. It was his choice to move, but he sort of hates that he doesn't know what they're talking about, that they have so many stories he hasn't heard, day to day things that he's missing. "Back for Christmas, though. We can go to the match on Boxing day again."

"Must we?" Nick asks, but he's smiling. Harry bumps his shoulder into Nick's, and then someone with a clipboard is pulling him back on stage and it's time to sing again.

~*~

"Are we sure we need these costumes?" Harry asks. He's got his tights half on, and is preparing to do up the other leg. Liam's beard is completely obstructing his face, and Louis is fiddling with the fit on his headband. "And why do I have to be the elf?"

"You've got the best legs," Niall says. 

"And the least shame," Louis adds. "Imagine Liam in tights." 

Harry thinks Liam would look quite good in tights and a short fur-lined jacket, but Liam would never agree to go on stage like that. 

"You look good," Zayn says, coming up behind Harry and gently placing the hat on his head. "Better than Will Farrell."

~*~ 

"That was the stupidest game I've ever played," Harry tells Nick at the afterparty. He's had a few drinks, and is out of the elf costume, just in a patterned shirt that he thinks may have been Nick's once upon a time. Maybe as late as this last week, really. "I didn't need to be an elf at all."

"It was genius," Nick says. "And everyone loved the costumes." 

"We're never doing this again," Harry declares, making the decision for the entire band. He doesn't need a vote. Nick had asked _him_ , so he gets to decide for everyone. "I'll find a way to visit you on the moon." 

"Mars," Nick says with a smile. "But they haven't sacked me yet, so we're alright."

"Yeah?" 

"Besides, if I left I'd never see you again. You barely come over from Los Angeles. You'd never come to Mars." 

"I would," Harry says, sticking out his bottom lip. 

Nick just shakes his head, but before they can talk more, Fearne is there talking to Nick about something coming up on Radio 1. Harry wanders over to where Niall and Louis and a few people Harry doesn't recognize are talking. 

The party ends at dawn, and there isn't enough time for Harry to sleep before he's got to go to the airport, so he climbs into Niall's car to follow him home for some tea. He can sleep on the plane, when he makes it there. 

"Don't you have to pack?" Niall asks, rubbing his eyes. The kettle's on its way to boiling and they're blinking at each other over the kitchen table. Harry's not used to this party all night business anymore. 

"Just taking the one bag," Harry says. "Got everything else back home." 

"So LA is really your home now?" 

The question throws Harry more than it should. He's been living there for a few years, but he's always called Holmes Chapel his home. It's where he grew up, where he returns for holidays. But day to day, home is his house in Beverly Hills these days. 

"Suppose," Harry says. "I like the sun." 

"Yeah, you always did," Niall says. He's running his fingertips over the table along the grain of the wood, not looking up. He looks tired, Harry thinks. Not quite _eight months into a tour_ tired, but more than he should be for just one night out. He makes a note to ask the others to keep a closer eye on him, make him rest if he's this worn out. 

Harry clings to him for longer than is strictly necessary when his car arrives, trying to send telepathic messages to make him rest whilst Harry is gone. He'll have to check back when he comes for Christmas.

~*~ 

It's raining in LA when Harry lands, the heavy rainclouds making it dark in the middle of the afternoon when it's nearing midnight back home. It's soothing, in a way; it doesn't rain often out here and sometimes he misses that part about living in London, the way the rain makes everything quieter. In Los Angeles it makes everything seem more crowded, especially the roads as everyone slows down. His driver has to navigate past three accidents to get him home, and it takes nearly two hours.

He's supposed to go for dinner with Jeff later tonight, but by the time he's inside, he doesn't want to go anywhere for a while, so he texts Jeff an apology and digs through his freezer for something to eat. He's got some soup that the Azoff's chef sent him home with a few weeks ago, and he's got some bread in the freezer as well. A perfect meal to match the weather. 

The only problem is that the house is a bit too quiet. Over the last week it had rained four days, and he'd ended up on Niall's sofa with assorted members of the LIC or Nick's, with Collette and Ducky and whoever else wanted to show up. Harry's got a lot of friends out here now, but none of them just show up at his door. 

Though that could be because he's more prone to be the one inviting himself over. 

The problem tonight is that he doesn't want to go out. Instead, he gets his camera out and takes about a hundred shots of the rain hitting his deck and his pool, playing with the settings to make the green of the lawn pop out, then to get the dark grey of the sky and the blue of the pool. They're incredibly boring pictures, but he uploads them to his phone and sends about ten in a row off to Niall with a text saying, _feels like home_. 

He falls asleep soon after, even though he'd slept most of the way through the flight.

~*~ 

"Christmas is all wrong here," Harry tells Niall. His lunch date has cancelled, but he's sitting in the sun in 22 degree weather, watching workers decorate the palm trees that line the street. "Like, the palm trees look nice at night when they're all lit up, but there's giant ornaments hanging from them and it looks well weird."

On the other end of the line, Niall laughs. "That's what you get for turning American. No proper winters or holidays." 

"Heyyyyyy," Harry says. "I'm not American! I've still got my accent." 

"Hardly," Niall says.

"Tell me what's going on with you," Harry says, once his food's been delivered. "Haven't heard any good Niall stories lately. Any new girls in your life?" 

There's a pause down the line before Niall answers. Niall had said he was eating dinner when Harry called so he's probably just chewing something. He always did have a habit of taking huge bites, and Harry's been talking for most of their conversation. 

"Not really," Niall says. "Went on a few dates with this one girl, she's a sports agent, but it didn't stick." 

"Nothing sticks with you," Harry says. 

"Or you," Niall retaliates. "You seeing anyone?" 

"Too much work," Harry says. "I'm lazy." Harry takes a bite of his Ahi salad. This is definitely one thing he loves about living in California. Not that it's all that difficult to get seared Ahi anywhere these days. 

"Lazy fucker," Niall agrees. "Can't even be arsed to buy your own clothing. Saw a picture of you the other day in one of my shirts. I'd been looking for that." 

"Sorry?" Harry says. Niall really should be used to that by now. Back when they were touring they all started out with their own clothes, but by the end no one could remember who had brought which shirts or pants. The only thing they hadn't passed around were shoes and jeans. And Harry had spent half the week in London at Niall's. "Didn't remember which shirts I'd brought with me."

"By the looks of it, none." 

Harry watches as they test the lights on the tree in the corner of the patio. "You know what we should do?" 

"Move to California with you?" 

"Well, yes. But no." 

"Pick one, Haz." 

"It's nice out here, and we could see each other more," Harry argues. "But we should do a Christmas party. In London in a few weeks. You me and the others. Lou and Paul and Paddy and Basil and everyone. A proper Christmas party like we never had because we were always so busy at Christmastime." 

"That's not a bad idea. We can do it at Funky Buddha or Shoreditch or somewhere." 

"No, do it at mine. I've got plenty of room and I never did throw a proper party there. I'll even buy you a new grill so you can cook for everyone." 

"So long as we've got more food than that, sure." 

"You'll find caterers and decorators and stuff, yeah? Grimmy's got a set of my keys so you can get in."

"You arsehole," Niall laughs. "You want to throw a party but you're leaving me all the work." 

"Please, you've got a PA. I know you'll get her to do most of it." 

Niall laughs again. "Yeah. I'll ask the lads and see when it's best for everyone. I think Louis' going away for his birthday this year. Taking everyone to Fiji or something." 

"You should come visit me," Harry says. "There's some top golf out here. Right by the ocean. Why haven't you come out here?" 

"Because you never invited me." 

"I'm inviting you now," Harry says. "Come on Nialler. I miss you." 

"You saw me last week." 

"And I already miss you." It's the truth, Harry always misses Niall. Niall's the only one who ever had patience for him, who tried to teach him to play guitar and laughed at his stupid jokes. 

"So move back." Niall says. "I'm not moving to LA." He sighs. "Look, I've got to go. I'll talk to everyone and set up the party, alright?" 

"You're the best. Love you." 

"Yeah, you too." Niall says. 

Harry's smiling when he hangs up the phone. A party will be nice. A proper party with their friends, and not one that's half work at the same time, the way all parties out here seem to be. 

Maybe he misses London a bit more than he'd like to admit.

~*~

Harry ends up flying back a few days earlier than he'd originally planned. He's been talking to Niall daily, mostly for party planning, but for other things too. He'd got Nick on the phone for a few hours the other night whilst he walked Pig, making plans for the holidays. He's also talked to the other lads, and Gemma and Lou. Everyone he's friends with in London, really, the ocean between them feeling bigger than it ever has before.

In the end, he can't stand to wait for Thursday for his flight, so he changes it to Monday instead, to land Tuesday morning. 

He goes to Niall's first, and he's not awake. At first. He answers the door after Harry leans on the bell for a few minutes, and then calls, just to be sure. 

"What the fuck?" Niall says when he opens the door. 

Harry doesn't wait for an invitation to come in. He gathers Niall into a hug, and pulls him inside and towards the kitchen so he can make them tea and toast, since it's breakfast time. 

Niall doesn't speak until he's had most of a cup of tea. "What are you doing here?" 

"There's a party this weekend, if you forgot," Harry says, buttering some toast. 

Niall rolls his eyes. "Yeah, I've been planning it while you get tan." 

"It's winter in California, too," Harry says. Niall throws a piece of toast at Harry, who catches it and throws it back, hands sticky with the jam Niall had just spread on it. He stuffs his own toast in his mouth and takes a big bite. "I'm going to shower," he says as he chews. "Then we can go for a proper fry-up." 

Niall doesn't argue, so Harry takes his bag to the guest room and pulls out some clean clothes before disappearing into Niall's shower, which is the better one. 

"You're a menace," Niall says when Harry comes out, but he's smiling. 

They head to Harry's house after breakfast, which is in the process of being decorated. There's boxes of ornaments and tinsel everywhere, lights strung up around the garden and it looks a mess now, but it'll be nice in the end, Harry's sure. He trusts Niall's taste. He's always been the least tacky of them all. 

"Sound system is coming tomorrow," Niall says. "Grimmy's coming over after his show on Thursday to test it, said he'd DJ for a few hours. Said he'd bring some friends to cover the rest."

Of course Nick did had. He's probably bringing in his friends who are all famous DJs because he's like that. Harry will have to buy him dinner sometime this week, before the party. Speaking of dinner, 

"What are you doing for dinner?" Harry asks. It's mid-morning, but it's never too early to think about. 

"Going over to Bressie's," Niall says, not elaborating any more. 

If they were going out, Harry would invite himself along, and probably no one would mind, but if Niall's going to someone else's Harry will have to make other plans. What it means is that he'll end up with Nick, but that's not exactly a hardship. 

Niall's leaning in the doorway to the living room, while people move around behind him. 

"We should get some mistletoe," Harry says, pointing at the empty doorframe. "Not a Christmas party without mistletoe." 

Niall goes a bit red and looks away. "Yeah. Sure. We can stop on the way back to mine."

~*~

Harry's house starts to fill up mid-afternoon with catering, and guests start to show in the evening, when it's already dark and cold outside. Harry's got every light on to push it back, with mass numbers of fairy lights strung up around the garden to make it festive. Everything looks amazing, but Harry expected no less from Niall.

He pulls Niall into a big hug when he arrives, a few minutes before the invitations said to come. 

"This is brilliant," Harry says, squeezing him tightly. Niall's hands settle around Harry's back, making Harry warm all over. Niall gives the best hugs; he always has. "Thank you." 

"Only the best for us, yeah?" Niall says. Harry goes over to the decks to get a playlist going, since they're not having a proper DJ until later when Nick gets here. 

Once people start arriving, it's impossible for Harry to stay in one conversation for long. He stops to talk to Lou, who fusses over his hair, but then Paul's coming in and Harry has to say hello and ask after his kids. He completely ignores Gemma until she comes over to him, hitting him in the shoulder and pretending to be mad about it. 

They're standing in the doorway to the kitchen when Liam passes by and points up at the sprig of mistletoe hanging there. Harry grins and Gemma pretends to push him away when he goes in to kiss her cheek. 

"Alright, alright," Liam says as Harry's holding Gemma tightly around her shoulders to keep her from escaping. "My turn." He's got his hands laced with Sophia's, so Harry moves away to let them have a turn. There's a few more sprigs hanging in doorways around the house, but Harry will let them find them on their own. A festive scavenger hunt. 

Halfway through his set, Harry brings Nick a fresh drink, and leans against the wall behind the decks, waiting for Nick to get a song going so he can take a bit of a break. He casts his eyes around the room, watching everyone. Sophia and Eleanor are sitting in a corner, heads bent close. Liam and Paddy and Niall are near the doors to the garden in a tight circle. 

Niall turns his head and catches Harry's eye before looking away. It's been happening all night; Harry's been acutely aware of where Niall is all the time, finding him when he's deep in conversation, or dancing, or just passing between rooms. Niall smiles brightly every time. 

Over by the door, Harry catches Zayn and Perrie kissing under the mistletoe and watches them for a minute, happy to see that they're still so happy after all this time. 

"Looks like I missed my chance on that one," Nick says, nodding towards them. "Shame. Would have liked a go with Zayn Malik before he tied himself down." 

"Perrie's pretty understanding," Harry says. "Just ask her first." 

Nick laughs. "Nah, think I'll leave them to it." 

Harry catches Niall's eyes again from across the room. "Who are you going to be kissing, then? You've not told me about anyone in ages." 

"Nowt to tell, really. Hen's started setting me up on sneaky blind dates. It's awful." 

"I'm sure they're all awful," Harry says. 

"And what about you? I've not seen any headlines in a while. Not since the ones about Taylor's engagement. Are you really in a jealous rage over her boyfriend?"

"He's nice," Harry says. "I like him." 

"You like everyone," Nick says. "And everyone likes you. Really, though, anyone special you want to kiss?" 

Nick's voice is loaded, like he's got a secret, but if he has it's not one that Harry's told him, so Harry has no idea what he's talking about. "What are you talking about?" 

There's nothing but ice left in Harry's glass, and since he doesn't want to leave this conversation in the middle, not without figuring out what Nick thinks he knows, so he crunches on a piece of ice. His dentist is going to kill him if she finds out. 

"Who've you been watching all night?" 

No one. Though, Niall looks up again, but looks away as soon as Harry catches his eye. "No one," Harry says.

"You sure about that?" Nick asks, handing Harry his empty glass since the song's coming to an end and he's got to go pay attention to the decks again. 

Harry goes to refill his drink, pouring a generous amount of vodka for himself. It's not as though he's going anywhere else tonight. 

When he turns around he finds Niall leaning against the doorway. Harry slings his free arm around Niall, meaning to steer them both back out into the party, but Niall stops dead, not letting himself be moved from the doorway. 

Harry just looks at him, hoping Niall can read the question on his face. Niall's never not gone along with something Harry's done. This party is the perfect example: a spur of the moment idea that had turned out spectacularly under Niall's care. So why's he not going back out into the party? 

Niall looks up, so Harry follows his eyes and finds the mistletoe again. He's been kissing nearly everyone who's near any of the sprigs all night, but he suddenly realizes that he's missed Niall. 

"Yeah, alright," Harry says, stepping back to the doorway so he can kiss Niall. He goes for the lips because they've long since lost any sort of boundaries between them, and Niall doesn't turn his head to land it on his cheek. 

Instead, Niall tips his face up and closes his eyes and follows Harry a bit when he tries to pull away. His hands are set on Harry's hips, not holding him, just set there. He bites his lip when Harry pulls away. 

"Been wanting to do that for ages," Niall says, blush high on his cheeks. 

"Niall?" Harry has no idea what's happening, but he knows it's important. Niall's hands are still on his hips, and Harry's got a full drink in one hand, but he sets the other on Niall's arm, standing close and not pulling away. 

"Wasn't worth it before," Niall says. "Too much that could go wrong, and then you moved." 

"I don't —" Harry doesn't know what to say to that. He's never been very good with words anyway. 

"It's alright if you don't want it," Niall says. "It's just, I had to try, and well," he looks up again. 

Harry closes his eyes. He has no idea what to think because it's _Niall_ , Niall who is one of the most important people in his life; Niall who he loves and adores; Niall who has been hiding this from him for years. 

"Do it again," Harry says. "Do it properly." 

"Why?" 

"I -- I don't know. Just, that wasn't much of a kiss." 

Niall shrugs and leans in again, one hand wrapping around the base of Harry's skull to move him into place. Niall's lips are a bit chapped, he always forgets to keep lip balm in his jacket pockets, but he's warm, and Harry holds him tighter, wishing that he wasn't holding a full drink. He doesn't want to just drop it because that would make a mess, but he's weighing the option just so that he can hold Niall a bit closer. 

It's the best kiss he's had for ages; Niall is demanding, licking his way into Harry's mouth and pinning him in place. Not that Harry wants to move anyway, this is brilliant. When Niall pulls away Harry takes a second before he opens his eyes. Niall is right there when he does, face carefully blank. 

"You should do that again," Harry says. "But let me put down my drink first." 

Niall nods, so Harry leaves the doorway for the kitchen, taking a large gulp of his drink before going back to Niall. 

This time, he can pull Niall in with both hands, feel the way his breathing speeds up the longer they kiss. He'd never thought about it before, except maybe in the very beginning, because Niall's right, there was too much at stake, too much which could go wrong in the middle of everything. But they're done with that now, and Niall is asking, and Harry can't say no. Doesn't want to, really. It's _Niall_. He's not got words to say what Niall is to him anymore. Best friend doesn't even come close, nor does family. Niall is the best of the best, the brightest star in his jumbled memories from the X Factor and touring and video shoots. He tries to put all of that into kissing Niall, hoping that he'll find the right words eventually. Until then he has this, which he'd never expected. 

A loud whistle from the dining room breaks them apart, and they turn to find the other lads standing in a row watching them. They're all fighting smiles, and Harry can't blame them. He doesn't try to fight his own, or pull away from Niall. 

"Here we were trying to refill our drinks, but there's someone in the way. You've got bedrooms for that," Louis says. He's putting on his best effort at a grumpy face, but it's not really working. 

Zayn comes behind Niall to give him a half-hug and whisper something in his ear. Niall smiles softly and moves one hand to squeeze Zayn's. Harry will have to ask about that later. Right now he just wants to kiss Niall some more, but his bandmates are interrupting bastards. 

"We're busy," Harry tells Louis. "Go away." 

Liam and Louis crowd into the doorway as well, and they fall easily into a hug between all of them. Harry leans close to Niall and kisses him on the cheek, waiting for Niall to turn his head so they can kiss again, since they're still standing under the mistletoe. 

Liam looks up and groans. "Do I have to kiss all of you now?" 

"Yes," Louis says, breaking the hug to grab Liam's face. Liam could easily get away, but he lets Louis plant a kiss on his lips with minimal fighting. Louis passes him to Zayn, who kisses him gently on the cheek. 

Instead of trying to fight for Liam, Harry pulls Niall further into the kitchen, crowding him against the counter. 

"We're not under the mistletoe," Niall points out. 

"Don't need it anymore," Harry says, and kisses him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/hllangel) and [tumblr](http://glitterbootsandyellowshorts.tumblr.com/)!


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